Guide to Tampa
Food scene
You can walk to various restaurants for a quick bite or drive/take public transit to check out these iconic Tampa Restaurants!
Walk next door to this Buddhist Thai Temple and enjoy fresh Thai food every Sunday. The temple is also open every day for picnics from 9AM-6PM
49 locals recommend
Wat Mongkolrata Temple
5306 Palm River RdWalk next door to this Buddhist Thai Temple and enjoy fresh Thai food every Sunday. The temple is also open every day for picnics from 9AM-6PM
The Columbia Restaurant, located in Ybor City, has been around since 1905 (in fact, it’s Florida’s oldest restaurant). Once a local cafe that mainly served cigar workers back in Ybor City’s industrious heyday, it’s now one of the largest Spanish restaurants in the world.
68 locals recommend
Columbia
649 Front StThe Columbia Restaurant, located in Ybor City, has been around since 1905 (in fact, it’s Florida’s oldest restaurant). Once a local cafe that mainly served cigar workers back in Ybor City’s industrious heyday, it’s now one of the largest Spanish restaurants in the world.
MISSION BBQ
1504 W Brandon BlvdVoted BEST barbecue in Tampa Magazine 2022!
Open-air beachfront joint with locally caught grilled fish, live music daily, pool tables & 2 bars.
262 locals recommend
Frenchy's Rockaway Grill
7 Rockaway StOpen-air beachfront joint with locally caught grilled fish, live music daily, pool tables & 2 bars.
Cafe chain for health-minded breakfast, brunch & lunch options such as omelets, salads & soups.
15 locals recommend
First Watch - Downtown Tampa
520 N Tampa StCafe chain for health-minded breakfast, brunch & lunch options such as omelets, salads & soups.
Local diner chain serving classic American breakfast & lunch fare in a warm atmosphere.
9 locals recommend
Metro Diner
4011 W Kennedy BlvdLocal diner chain serving classic American breakfast & lunch fare in a warm atmosphere.
Things To Do
Tampa offers plenty of activities from popular amusement parks, amazing beaches, museums, and scenic walkways!
Busch Gardens
10165 McKinley DrAmusement Park and Zoo
The Florida Aquarium
701 Channelside DrVisit over 20,000 aquatic animals and plants!
Adventure Island
10001 McKinley DrOutdoor water theme park
Glazer Children's Museum
110 W Gasparilla PlazaHands on exhibit for kids
Big Cat Rescue
12802 Easy StTiger sanctuary as seen on Netflix’s Tiger King
Weedon Island Preserve
1800 Weedon Dr NENature area with hiking and paddling
Laid-back Clearwater Beach is known for its namesake stretch of soft, white sand, which draws visitors year-round for jet-skiing, parasailing, and stand-up paddleboarding in its calm waters. Cyclists and rollerbladers glide along a winding beachfront promenade lined with casual seafood restaurants and cafes. Come sunset, Pier 60 hosts a nightly festival with street performers and craft vendors.
1870 locals recommend
Clearwater Beach
Gulf of Mexico DriveLaid-back Clearwater Beach is known for its namesake stretch of soft, white sand, which draws visitors year-round for jet-skiing, parasailing, and stand-up paddleboarding in its calm waters. Cyclists and rollerbladers glide along a winding beachfront promenade lined with casual seafood restaurants and cafes. Come sunset, Pier 60 hosts a nightly festival with street performers and craft vendors.
Traveler advice
Getting around
HART Bus System
One of the easiest ways to go through Tampa is by using the bus systems. With over 200 buses running, you never have to wait long to catch the bus that you need. The bus public transportation in Tampa is run by HART. They have a local bus service, which will get you all through Hillsborough County, and then they have a commuter’s express route and service to the airport. There are over 30 routes to choose from.
Getting around
TECO Streetcar
One popular way to get around Tampa is the TECO line streetcar. This is a 2.7 mile long transport that connects downtown Tampa to the Channelside District and Ybor City Historic District. This is the perfect way to get to and from popular destinations downtown, and it’s known to get pretty crowded during a Tampa Bay Lightning Game. These streetcars run every 15 minutes on Mondays through Thursdays. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the service runs every 20 minutes.